Twenty Years and Three Generations of Stephen Ministry:
The United Methodist Church
of Berea, Ohio

For the Walters family of the United Methodist Church of Berea, Ohio, Stephen Ministry is truly a family affair! Their involvement in Stephen Ministry spans three generations: Nash Walters, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday; his son, James Walters; and his granddaughter, Betsy Walters Burney.

Congratulations to the Walters family for their commitment to Stephen Ministry!

Congratulations are also in order for the Stephen Ministry team at the United Methodist Church of Berea--this congregation is celebrating 20 years of Stephen Ministry in 2006.

"Stephen Ministry has been a wonderful blessing," said Lead Pastor Valerie Stultz, who is also a Stephen Leader. "Over the years we've trained 76 Stephen Ministers in the congregation; we have 24 active Stephen Ministers, all assigned.

"The Stephen Ministers assist me in all the pastoral care," Rev. Stultz said. "One does hospital aftercare. At every communion service--once a month--we have a Stephen Minister stationed in a special area of the church, and he or she anoints people who want to be anointed after communion in a special healing ministry. They assist with what we call Cup and Bread--our Stephen Ministers take communion to those who are homebound. When we have a funeral, the Stephen Ministers will often serve as ushers and liturgists."

Helen and Bob Graham founded Stephen Ministry at the United Methodist Church of Berea. Helen has been a vital part of the ministry ever since.

"This is a large congregation, and there's a huge amount of pastoral care," Rev. Stultz said. "It's energized the whole congregation to see these volunteers take on such responsibility, to know that the congregation places such a highly developed level of trust in these volunteers.

"I don't know what I'd do without our Stephen Ministers."

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